It's not you, it's your job
In your professional journey, my wish for you is to experience several significant moments.
Your first day, your first few weeks, your promotion, work anniversaries, the Christmas party, your second promotion.
And finally, your last day at that job.
Quitting your job can be an incredibly challenging experience for many people. It involves severing human connections that have been nurtured over the years. These individuals become a part of our daily lives, and as social beings, it's nearly impossible to avoid forming bonds.
On top of the emotional weight of saying goodbye to these daily relationships, one must also consider the stressful implications that arise when making the decision to resign. Thoughts may cross your mind, such as:
Have I given up too easily? Did I not try hard enough to make it work?
Maybe I'm not good enough for this job.
Psychologist Melissa Doman adds:
"For many people, their work is strongly tied to their identity and self-efficacy."
Furthermore, another element of this equation is the fear of leaving the underestimated "Comfort Zone."
We constantly receive messages about stepping out of our "Comfort Zone" as if it were toxic or a sign that we want to remain stagnant, which is deemed wrong for some reason. However, similar to my mantra "Bear minus (Never give your 100)," why exert extra effort if enough is sufficient? Why disrupt something that doesn't require disruption? Like a shaken soda can, it explodes and slips out of your grasp.
Rogelio Segovia explains this well in his article for El Financiero titled "Long live the comfort zone!":
The definition of comfort is simple: "well-being or material comfort." On the other hand, when we talk about well-being, we refer to a life filled with everything that contributes to having a good time and being at peace. It allows for the proper functioning of our physical and mental activities. So, is it bad for you to be in a place that provides physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being?
So far, we have three components to this story of resignation:
Firstly, the reality that your interactions with the friends you made at work will be limited. Secondly, the emotional weight of leaving behind a part of your identity. Lastly, the notion of departing from what we know as the "Comfort Zone."
The outcome of this story depends on you and how you manage your emotions. However, let me remind you that no amount of compensation, bonuses, accolades, or praise can fill the void or alleviate the feelings of anguish, burnout, and sleeplessness that you may have been experiencing for months, leading you to make this decision.
Ask yourself: What am I sacrificing by working on weekends? What is this job taking away from me? What am I missing out on by staying overtime? How am I investing my time? Is it about me or is it about my profession?
I firmly believe that if work is taking something away from me, it should be my own decision or conviction, not the other way around.
Quitting your job can be a painful process for some of us, but I'm sure you reached this point for a reason. As my friend, to whom I dedicated my previous article "My friend quit, and all I have is this company paraphernalia," says:
"Not even with money can they cure my depression."
This article was translated by @ross.gspr
Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal opinions of the authors and do not reflect the views of affiliated organizations. The information is for informational purposes only and not intended as professional advice.
References:
York, J. (n.d.). Why does quitting your job still feel so hard? BBC Worklife. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210823-why-does-quitting-your-job-still-feel-so-hard
Segovia, R. T. E. P. P. /. (2022, September 9). Rogelio Segovia: ¡Viva la zona de confort! El Financiero. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/monterrey/2022/09/09/rogelio-segovia-viva-la-zona-de-confort/
